Why atheists should embrace America’s ‘godless’ Constition

Many atheists, myself included, are offended by what we view as unwarranted antagonism toward atheists. I’ve participated in a number … Continued

by Herb Silverman

Many atheists, myself included, are offended by what we view as unwarranted antagonism toward atheists. I’ve participated in a number of debates on topics like “Can we be moral without a belief in God?” In these debates, I try to change stereotypical opinions that atheists are inherently immoral and untrustworthy. It’s sad that debates like this even take place in the twenty-first century. It would be unthinkable to see a debate in this country on “Can a Jew be moral?” or “Can a Catholic be moral?”

But enough complaining. The political climate for atheists has improved, and will continue to improve. There will come a day when an open atheist can be elected president. Some might say that atheists are “blessed” to be living in the United States rather than in countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. What these countries have in common is that atheists can face the death penalty for their critical thinking. Other Islamic countries, including Bangladesh, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Kuwait, Tunisia and Turkey, have also stepped up prosecution for “blasphemy” and for any criticism of religion. Some countries even ban atheism, and force their people to officially adopt a faith.

Some of the countries in the OIC fail to see the hypocrisy of prohibiting the denigration of any religion while at the same time sanctioning the death penalty for atheists who live responsibly and peacefully without religion. Perhaps that’s their version of freedom of religion, but not freedom from religion.

Political leaders in every country, including the United States, must understand that we can’t have freedom of religion without freedom from religion. We either have freedom of conscience and belief or we don’t. And our godless U.S. Constitution says we do.

Herb Silverman is founder and President Emeritus of the Secular Coalition for America, author of “Candidate Without a Prayer: An Autobiography of a Jewish Atheist in the Bible Belt,” and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of Charleston.